Smudging is the spiritual practice of burning plants to clear out negative energy from a space, person, or room. This ritual is seen in many cultures and religious practices going back thousands of years. Indigenous peoples, Ancient Egyptians, and Ancient Mesopotamians, to name a few. This practice should always be treated with respect and dignity.
Smudging is a healthy spiritual practice for clearing out blocked or negative energy, refreshing, or setting intentions for a space. Commonly used plants are sage, sweetgrass, palo santo, and lavender. Try to locally source or buy your smudging tools from ethical and trusted vendors. The most important part of smudging your space is letting your intuition guide you (you can use crystals like amethyst for your third eye to aid). To begin, open windows and doorways to allow energy to move freely through. When you're ready, light your smudge stick and let the flame go out or blow it out so it begins to smoke. You may use a feather (air) for moving the smoke, and an abalone shell (water) to hold the smudge stick (earth & fire). Move throughout each room or around the crystal/person, moving on from each area when you feel is right. Take your time with this and allow yourself to flow and feel the energy in the space. Keep your intention in mind or say it out loud for the best results. When you feel that you're finished, you can let the smudge stick burn out on its own or put it out.
This ritual should be done with intentions that come from a place of love, light, and authenticity.